


slowly, you'll fall in love

by bountifulsilences



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: 5 Times, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Steve Rogers, Crack, Fluff, M/M, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 21:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17989187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bountifulsilences/pseuds/bountifulsilences
Summary: “I’m in love, and it’s tragic.”“I’m not even going to entertain this, let’s go,” Sam said, resuming his walk.Groaning, Steve followed him and explained, “I found a book back there, was to do with yoga so I figured I’d check it out by trying some poses. Turns out I was stopping this guy from walking past and he saw me as I failed at meditating.” Steve grimaced thinking back to his attempt. “He turned out to be an Adonis, and I made myself look like an idiot in front of him.”or the one where Steve embarrasses himself in front of Bucky a lot, but Bucky just keeps on coming back.





	slowly, you'll fall in love

**Author's Note:**

> this is an extremely late valentines gift for deen and it is something I do not indulge in often: fluff. but look- it can't be thaatt bad (I hope) and you should find this enjoyable,,, kinda :D
> 
> all mistakes are my own and I honestly hope you like this deen ! happy late valentines day gift or something like that bud <3

The first time Steve saw him was purely by accident. And that occurred from a rather embarrassing incident that had him wince whenever he recalled it.

See, Steve was an idiot and rather (or horrifically) impulsive. So, when he was strolling through the local bookstore with Sam (who was searching for a textbook), inspecting the shelves for something to capture his attention, he scourged a book on yoga from the abyss that was the bookcase. Intrigued, as his back did cause him more grief that it perhaps should, he plucked it and paused in his step, allowing Sam to brush to past.

Having done so, he opened it onto a random page and skimmed over the writing instead examining the diagrams. They were how-to guides, demonstrations on how to achieve that perfect pose to exude the most relief. With the cure for his troubled back right in front of him, he put the book against the spine of its brothers and scrutinised each step, copying it as he did. There was limited space, so he had to parallel the bookshelf and turn to see the coloured page. It was fine, he was willing to make the sacrifice.

However, not even 10 minutes into his soothing exercise, he heard a cough from behind him- an amused exhale that frosted his muscles and locked them in place. He didn't even realise he was holding people up. Caught up in his meditation, he forgot that he was in a bookstore that people were visiting. Without thinking, he groaned and dropped the pose, slapping his forehead into his palm.

“I am so sorry,” he said, turning around to face the person. “I- I totally forgot what I was doing, like an idiot.”

Said person was grinning and holding a collection of four books in their grasp. But said person was also a work of art and Steve felt his heart pick up pace in his chest, familiar adrenaline already generating in his limbs. Oh, said person was beautiful.

His hair was tied in a loose bun, allowing stray hairs to fall and frame his face- his face, which was sculpted to perfection. Steve surveyed it, drinking in the oceanic blue eyes (with a tinge of grey), his thin yet murderously red lips, and his jawline which had been chiselled to be sharper than a sword. And don’t even get him started on the stranger’s cheekbones, Steve was seconds from imploding.

“Haha, no worries bud,” the man said, chuckling, eyes positively gleaming. “Gotta check out the merchandise, you know? I would have joined in but alas, these books are too thick and too expensive to be left lying around. It’s tragic.”

Tragic was the whole ordeal Steve was facing, but he daren’t comment that. Like a coward, he laughed nervously, praying that cologne he wore that morning hadn’t breezed off and moved to the side, gesturing for the man to pass. “Yes, tragic.” Honestly? He should have just stayed quiet.

The man, further wooing Steve, didn’t even bat an eyelid at his awkwardness and walked past, smelling incredible himself. Stopping for a brief second, he remarked, “don’t let me stop you now that I’ve passed, have a good one pal!”

Then, he walked away radiating his calm elsewhere and Steve just watched mesmerised. Soon, Sam returned to his side, textbook in grasp and confusion etched on his face.

“Hey, I thought I lost you. What’s with the constipated look?”

Steve just stared in the direction the stranger had gone.

“I’m in love, and it’s tragic.”

“I’m not even going to entertain this, let’s go,” Sam said, resuming his walk.

Groaning, Steve followed him and explained, “I found a book back there, was to do with yoga so I figured I’d check it out by trying some. Turns out I was stopping this guy from walking past and he saw me as I failed at meditating.” Steve grimaced thinking back to his attempt. “He turned out to be an Adonis, and I made myself look like an idiot in front of him.”

As expected, Sam paused to just stare at his face before his exploded into laughter. Steve scowled and nudged him.

“I lost my one chance at true love you asshole, stop laughing,” he demanded weakly, silently still humiliated by the entire incident. “I could’ve had it all. But now I just have you.”

Sam did try to catch his breath, but he would just fall back into his fit once he saw the chagrin on Steve’s face. “I’m sorry but damn, Steve. Who the hell does that? Just whips out a yoga book and starts posing in these tiny ass corridors? You’re a dumbass.”

“Gee thanks Sam. I feel a lot better.” Steve rolled his eyes. “You’re an ass.”

“At least I didn’t make myself look like an ass in front of Adonis so I’m okay with that,” he retorted, and Steve decided he hates Sam as much as he hates that cursed yoga book. Which was immeasurable.

 

* * * *

 

The next time Steve saw the man, it was at the cost of his misfortune once more.

He had been on a run, something he did every day as part of his routine, and Sam had opted out of this one, too tired from studying all night. Steve moaned and grumbled but he didn’t really mind, it wasn’t the first time he had done so.

Mid run, a fellow runner pointed at his shoes and Steve looked at them, noting that his laces had come undone. Coming to a steady halt, he took a couple of deep breathes, looking around the park briefly, and then took a sip of water, quenching his thirst. Falling to his knees, he absent-mindedly started to tie the laces once more, just to ensure they were tight enough not too dissemble whilst he jogged.

Looking around, his fingers working purely on muscle memory as he had done it a hundred times before, he admired the sky as the sun began to set directly above him. It promised heat like no other, it was good that he got the run out of the way. Doing it midday would be stupid, he wouldn’t last.

Successfully tying the laces, he shot up to resume his run and immediately fell backwards, his back smashing against the concrete. Eyes blinking wearily and in shock, he said out loud, “what the fuck.” Because what just happened?

Looking down at his hand, he discovered that he tied his left shoe lace around his finger, perfectly wrapping the sole hand in a bow. His knee was tossed to the side and shoe hanging in the air, just barely covering his eyes from the blaring sun. Protruding towards the sky was his left hand, connected to his shoe.

Just because he couldn’t fathom how that happened, he said again, “what the fuck,” blinking at himself. How did he manage that?

The sound of laughter caught his ears and he lurched upwards, sat on the asphalt looking around and there he was, the most beautiful man Steve had ever seen. He was walking over to Steve, laughing so hard his face was beaming with mirth and the hair that was tightly wrapped atop his head was weakening in its hold, on the brink of escaping. He didn't seem to care though, and Steve wished he could push the hairs behind his ears. Was he concussed?

No, no he was fine. Embarrassed to have been caught in such an awkward scenario once more and harbouring his wounded dignity, he decided he couldn’t be. The crimson blush he just knew was adorning his cheeks came from his own stupidity and not a head rush. He was such an idiot.

“Oh my god,” the man exclaimed, trying to control his laughter and failing terribly. He dropped next to Steve like a sack of potatoes and crossed his legs, dropping his face into his hands, the curly strands bracketing his fingers. “I’m so- sorry for laughing but- I saw you tie your laces and before I could say anything you shot up and I- I-”

He couldn’t finish his sentence, too overcome with amusement and Steve, watching the man run so wholeheartedly and laugh with his whole chest, couldn’t help but join in, bursting into guffaws now that he had processed it. He threw himself onto the ground because of his sheer idiocy and that made the second time this man had seen him make a fool out of himself. The universe was just not on his side.

“I have no way to redeem my actions but I’m going claim fatigue, that’s why I did that,” he declared, shaking his head and slowly calming down. Since when were their knees touching? When did they get so close?

“Like the time in the bookstore?” the man teased, grinning and inclining towards Steve, as though he wanted to talk to him, as though he was intrigued by their developing conversation.

Oh no, now is not the time to get shy Rogers, speak. Show him that you’re a good conversationalist, people like that. Don’t be a dork, he thought in a moan.

“I was leading a yoga class for myself, that was me totally sane and well rested,” he said proudly and if he could facepalm he would. Really? Really? He was done with himself.

“Think your class could hold another? I’m Bucky, by the way,” Bucky introduced.

Confused as to why Bucky would subject himself to that, he offered, “Steve. But you can just call me idiot.”

He needed to stop talking. Where was Sam when he needed him?

“Well, Steve you up for a running partner? Just to make sure you don’t uh, have a repeat of what just happened?” Bucky asked and oh- oh, he wanted to go running with Steve. That had to mean something, right?

Eager, almost too eager, Steve pushed his body to rise to his feet nodding enthusiastically but Bucky rolled his arm out prohibiting him from moving. Dumbfounded, he drawled, “uhhhh,” until he saw Bucky’s gaze fall to his feet where the laces were still tied around his finger.

So, Steve was planning on having a repeat of the previous fall. Delightful.

“Yeah, let me just and we’ll-” he hid his face, knowing that the burning in his cheeks wasn’t from the sunlight but rather embarrassment.

Laughing, Bucky attested, “yeah. Yeah, you do that.”

Next time Steve wouldn’t make a fool of himself. He promised himself.

 

* * * *

 

He was loyal to a fault, but stubborn in his devotion. So, when Sam jokingly dared- no, challenged Steve to serenade a random person on the street because they were both tipsy after drinking a couple of beers, Steve just couldn’t say no. He wasn’t drunk, in fact he was far from it, could drive back home if he had to. But the way Sam phrased it made Steve have to compete and prove his courage.

Thus, the performance was born.

He scanned the roads for a potential victim, someone who wouldn’t react horrifically at his platonic advance and perhaps laugh, maybe even join in. There were plenty of people around them who were drunk, so he was in high hopes that he could find someone. Selecting just one person however, that too the right one, filled him with apprehension and he groaned.

“Giving up so soon, Rogers?” Sam asked, raising an eyebrow and nodding like he knew exactly what he was doing. The fucker.

“I need a drink,” Steve muttered, surveying the faces that drifted past.

“No can-do pal, this is happening sober. Unless...you can’t do it. Which is fine, not everyone can do everything,” he continued, grinning as he pressed the right buttons and made Steve glare vehemently at him.

Eyes never straying from Sam’s, Steve announced, “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t,” Sam retorted.

“I really, really do.” 

Sam was going to send him to an early grave. But a dare’s a dare and Steve wouldn’t surrender to his simmering anxiety. No, Steve was going to do this, find someone and give them a performance of a lifetime. He never backed down and today would not be the day that he did.

After a few more calculating scans of the faces wandering around him, he found a familiar face that caused his cheeks to swarm with red immediately. Please don’t see me. Please don’t see me.

“Hey, Steve!” Bucky called, grinning marvellously and starting to walk over.

Fuck.

“Oh,” Sam said, offering nothing more than a smirk. “And who is this?”

“The love of my life,” Steve replied miserably, and then instantly regretted it. “I am not-”

“Him. You have to serenade him,” Sam decided, his smirk a taunt and words poison.

“Fuck you,” Steve hissed. “I will not-”

“Aww, Steve giving up? Okay, I see how it is. Bucky defeated Steve-”

“Over my dead body,” Steve declared, risking a glare at Bucky to see him fast approaching, weaving past people expertly. “You know what Sam? You’re an asshole and I hate you.”

“Get in line sweetheart, you’re not special. Now go, woo your man. I’m waiting,” he said expectantly, feigning a hurry just to get Steve to move.

He sighed, shaking his head at himself and not for the first time, cursed the adamant streak in him. It would surely kill him one of these days, that was sure. For now, he had some serenading to do. He just hoped Bucky would still like him afterwards, it was unclear if he would.

God, he was really going to do this.

“Hey Steve-”

“I got a condo in Manhattan. Baby-” Steve barely convinced the grimace. “-boy what’s hatnin’?”

Bucky’s smile dropped and he looked around, drawling, “uhh.”

“You and your ass invited. So gon’ and get to clappin’.” Crying on the inside, Steve walked closer to him, pausing just a few steps away. "Go pop it for a player, pop- pop it for me. Turn around and drop it for a player, drop- drop it for me. I’ll rent a beach house in Miami, wake up with no-”

“Are you- are you serenading me right now?” Bucky intervened incredulously, the grin returning in full force and brighter than ever.

“Jammies- nope. Lobster tail for dinner, Julio serve that scampi. You got it if you want it, got- got it if you want it.” Steve couldn’t hold back the wince. He sounded awful. He was going to kill Sam.

But Bucky exploded in laughter, leaning back and clapping, obviously enjoying Steve humiliating himself. But that wasn’t it- no, Bucky then, horrifically started to dance. Doing moves that Steve’s stiff body couldn’t even conceive. All it did was attract more attention making Steve want to hurl. Why was he doing this to himself?

“Said you got it if you want it, take my wallet if you want it now. Jump in the Cadillac.”

“Boys, let's put some miles on it,” Bucky shouted, joining in. Still. Dancing.

Laughing despite himself, Steve continued, “anything you want.”

“Just to put a smile on you- join me Steve!” Bucky encouraged.

And see Steve was an absolute dumbass, so while Sam was yelling behind him because of hard he was laughing, Steve did the one thing that would send him over the edge: he danced. It was a well-known fact that he couldn’t, long limbs too awkward to cooperate. But he already embarrassed himself by singing, so why not go all out?

Doing the robot like an idiot, he sang loudly, voice consumed with mirth, “you deserve it baby, you deserve it all. And I’m gonna give it to you.”

Suddenly, Bucky was in his space and pressed their bodies together, arm casing around Steve’s waist whilst the other hand in the air as an invitation. Gladly, Steve accepted. If Bucky wanted to waltz, then waltz they shall.

“Cool jewellery shining so bright, strawberry champagne on ice, lucky for you that’s what I like,” they both sang, Bucky twirling him and then moving in their position. “Lucky for you that’s what I like.”

Reattaching their bodies, they said, “sex by the fire at night,” and Bucky, too engrossed to even in notice what he was doing, indulged in some intense backing vocals and grinded on Steve, knocking the breath right out of his lungs. From behind, Sam exclaimed, “woo!” and Bucky looked at him, grinning devilishly. That fucker. “Silk sheets and diamonds all nice, lucky for you that’s what I like.”

Breathless, Steve ended it there, unable to continue without losing his mind entirely, and Bucky, a gentleman, followed his lead and let the song fall into silence. For a couple of seconds, bodies still attached and with eyes glued to Bucky’s, Steve slowly started to lean in, wanting- needing to press their lips together. Bucky watched, unopposed and challenging, no doubt to see what Steve was doing. A lot.

The people who had been watching them burst into cheers and laughs, reminding Steve of their audience and he pulled back, looking at them in surprise and nervousness. He was going to kill Sam. Thank him first for such an experience with Bucky but then kill him.

“I can’t believe you did that!” Sam shouted, overcome by the joy of seeing Steve embarrass himself. “And then, Bucky is it?” Bucky nodded, smiling proudly. “Joined in making it so much better. Ah Steve dude, you’re too much man, too much.”

Bucky nodded, agreement engraved on his face, and he echoed, “too much.”

Steve groaned.

Too much indeed.

 

* * * *

 

It wasn’t that he didn’t know how to be a functioning human. He did. Sam didn’t know what he was talking about, Steve had his shit together and he was doing great.

Crossing the road? He could do that. He always did that.

But when the curb comes quicker than he anticipated and it’s higher than it should be, Steve can’t prepare for the transition from road to pavement. That’s why, whilst looking around as he walked, Steve didn’t expect such a curb to barricade the pavement from him.

Foot connecting with the concrete, he felt his eyebrows rise and mouth form an ‘o’, body falling so fast that he didn’t know what was happening. He felt the stone connect with his hands and head snap against the floor, and he propelled onto his back, wheezing as the breath was knocked out of him. Eyelids colliding harshly with his waterline he groaned and coughed. Just his luck.

“Are you okay?” someone asked, hand coming onto his shoulder.

Opening his eyes, Steve winced at the bright light of day and nodded, pushing down the bile that was steadily rising. “Yeah, yeah I’m- I’m fine, thank you.”

“Did you hurt yourself?” another asked, further than the previous voice and Steve looked around in confusion. He just fell...of course he hurt himself, not that he’d admit. Though he didn’t have to if the blood seeping from his forehead insisted.

“Did you fall?” a voice asked and oh no, this was familiar. He recognised who this belonged to. Please don’t see me- “Steve?”

Looking to his left, he saw the face of beauty peering at him, eyes concerned. Worried, Steve asked, “Buck, did you fall too?” They were at eye level. That mean Bucky had to.

Bucky tried, Steve would give him that, but he couldn’t hold it any longer and he chuckled in disbelief, shaking his head in a mixture of laughter and worry. “No Steve I did not, you did though.”

“Oops,” he said, shrugging because how was he supposed to know? “Help me up?”

Bucky accepted his hand and helped him to his feet, throwing an arm around his shoulder, saying, “come on bud, let's get you cleaned up.”

“It’s the least you could do,” Steve shot back.

Laughing so hard, Bucky stopped walking. “Did I push you, you dumbass? It’s not my fault you can’t cross the road properly.”

Huffing, Steve replied, “you should have been there to catch me.”

“Of course, I should have become predicted what was going to happen and then helped you, forgive me for being human,” Bucky retorted, resuming his walk.

“I guess I will, eventually,” Steve said with a sigh, as though the words pained him. “For now, let’s go back to mine and finish watching Shrek.”

“I guess I can clear my schedule and fit you in somewhere,” he said.

Steve fixed him with an unimpressed look. “Piss off.”

“Love you Stevie.” Bucky blew him a playful kiss.

“Yeah, yeah love you too.”

 

* * * *

 

“Alright so you got two options: we can either go to the ice rink where I’ll inevitably fall and need emergency treatment or, we can go watch a movie and all of my limbs stay attached to my body,” Steve proposed, looking up from his phone and turning to Bucky.

Bucky grinned, nodding slowly.

Ice skating it was.

It went as bad as he imagined it would be. Steve’s long legs weren’t accommodated to the rink, and he clung to Bucky’s arm, slowly sliding his feet helplessly. There were people around them, not many, but their experience compared to Steve’s was evident. He tried not to focus on that though, rather pushed forward and yelped as he almost fell, grip tightening around Bucky as he held Steve close.

“Sure you don’t need one of those?” he asked, gesturing to the penguins and snowman’s that little kids used to move on the ice.

“I liked it better when you didn’t speak,” Steve told Bucky, briefly glancing at him in distaste. “I could fall into the ice and get trapped in there for like, 70 years. Be nice to me, asshole.”

Huffing a laugh, Bucky replied, “it’s just- Steve you’re acting worse than a child. It’s really not that hard.”

“Easy for you to say, you know what you’re doing,” he grumbled, allowing Bucky to steer them in the direction they had to follow. Anti-clockwise was the rules.

“I didn’t always,” Bucky reminded him.

Turning to face him and no longer paying attention to the ice, Steve said, “shush, I can’t hear you over my intense con-”

Before he could finish his sentence, he lost his balance and his feet were no longer in sync, forcing his body to topple backwards. Despite how hard he tried to keep himself upright, he couldn’t, and Bucky’s fingers scrambled for him, but it was too late. He fell, landing on his backside and feeling the hard collision in despair.

He hated the ice. Hated the ice rink. Hated these skates.

“Ow,” he moaned, lips flickering upwards as Bucky unsurprisingly started laughing. “Fuck you Barnes, I can’t feel my ass.”

“Maybe later sweetheart,” he replied, smirking as Steve sat on the ice, giving up.

Looking up at him, Steve glared. “You’re finally going to make a move, now? When I almost died?”

Shrugging, Bucky said, “no time better than the present.”

Steve groaned. “I love you, you asshole. Now get me off my ass so I can kiss that smirk off your face and give you a taste of your own medicine.”

“I don’t know… looks pretty painful from this angle,” he said, a calculating expression on his face.

“Buck.”

“Steve.”

“Up.”

Sighing, he said in mock exasperation, “alright alright. I guess I’ll have to.”

Outstretching his hand, Bucky clasped his fingers around Steve’s palm and heaved him into a crouch, encouraging him to move upwards himself. Steve, begrudgingly, did so until he was cautiously lifted to his feet where he was struggling to maintain balance. Bucky put a hand around his waist, bracing him.

“Hi,” he muttered, looking deep into Steve eyes and then his lips.

“Hey.” Steve felt his chest suddenly consume with nervousness. The moment he yearned for had arrived. So why was he feeling as such?

“Can I kiss you?” Bucky asked, glancing at his lips once more and then his eyes.

“I guess. But you better make it worth my time, Barnes,” Steve replied, stomping down the nerves.

“I promise.”

Closing his eyes, he felt Bucky draw in and pause but a breath away, patiently waiting as he wanted Steve to close the gap. A gentleman, why was Steve surprised? Closing the gap between the two, Steve pressed his lips against Bucky’s and as though the connection was delicate, rested there for a moment before pulling back.

Easily Bucky let him go, grinning and leaning forward to rest their heads together no doubt but banging his head on Steve’s chin instead.

“Ow,” they both complained, rubbing their respective sore areas, before looking at each other and laughing.

“So,” Bucky started, “that nice enough for another, huh Rogers?”

Teasingly, Steve replied, “I guess it was okay. I wouldn’t mind another.”

“Well, it’s good that I got plenty more to give.”

“Good, indeed.”

They continued skating for an hour, before leaving the rink and grabbing something to eat, only to take the food to Steve’s apartment where they finished watching the Shrek series and eventually started making out on the couch.

Sam, unsuspecting when he returned, yelled, “hot damn!” upon seeing them tangled with another. “About time you get your head out of your ass Steve, good on you man.”

“It was me, actually!” Bucky corrected.

“Even better!” Sam called from his room, and Steve shook his head.

His best friend and boyfriend were assholes. But he wouldn’t dare have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr:  bountifulsilences   
> twitter:  AwestruckBuck 


End file.
